Hiding It
by MonkeyJb1988
Summary: Mako is uncomfortable with telling the others about her relationship to Kotoha, something Kotoha is not happy about. With Kotoha near death, will Mako tell the others about their relationship? Samurai Sentai Shinkenger Slash Mako/Kotoha. No explicit stuff
1. Chapter 1

Shinken Pink could never remember wanting to cry this hard, yet not doing it. Normally, she wouldn't have any reason to want to cry, especially during a battle where a second not focused on the objective could be the last. This was one of those battles. The Ayakashi Utakasane was stealing everyone's souls and they only had a day to live. This was no time for her or the other Shinkenger to worry about personal needs. However, that was hard to do when she was seeing the love of her life near death right in front of her. Shinken Yellow had become Utakasane's 54th victim. As she fell, she unhenshined back into a weak Kotoha. Shinken Pink almost threw up at the sight as she cradled Kotoha's near lifeless body.

"Kotoha, please make it." Shinken Pink pleaded, despite knowing Kotoha most likely hated her right now.

That night, after the briefing with Hikoma, Mako went into her room to sulk, lying face down on her bed. She wanted to let loose and cry so hard, but she was taught to never show weakness and held it in. As Mako looked outside, she heard nothing. A single tear dripped from her eye as she remembered the first time she Kotoha told Mako that she loved her as much as Mako loved her back. That memory strengthened Mako.

_Kotoha will be okay. _Mako thought. _Once she's okay, we'll…_ Mako then remembered. She had made Kotoha furious with her.

_Even if Kotoha makes it, she wants nothing to do with me._ Mako thought bitterly. She rested her head on her wall, a tear rolling down her eye as she remembered what had happened a few days earlier…

_"Good morning Mako-chan" Kotoha said in a happy sing-song voice after saying good morning to the others in the room. She wrapped her arms around Mako from behind as Mako was sitting, eating breakfast with Takeru, Hikoma, and Ryunosuke. Mako smiled at Kotoha's affection, although she was a little uneasy that Kotoha made a bigger deal over her hello than the others, something she's sure the others noticed. Chiaki definitely noticed Kotoha hugging Mako._

_ "Well, well" Chiaki said with a perverted, yet joking menace. "Looks like I'll finally get my wish about two ladies together."_

_ Mako nearly choked on her food as Chiaki got slapped on the back of the head by Hikoma._

_ "Don't be ill-mannered, especially when you're not awake on time" Hikoma said sternly as both he and Chiaki sat down._

_ "He was just joking around." Kotoha said as she took a seat next to Mako. As Ryunosuke grumbled about Chiaki being irresponsible, Kotoha continued "He didn't say anything mean about two women being together. He just got silly."_

_ "Of course" Hikoma said. "He'd have lost an ear if he had gone further." he finished as he glared at Chiaki._

_ As Chiaki gulped at Hikoma's stare, Kotoha pressed further. "So if there was someone in the house who loved someone else of their own gender, that wouldn't be a problem?" Mako got uncomfortable with where Kotoha was going with this. The men shook their heads, none of them looking like a gay person would bother them, although they looked at each other thinking Kotoha was talking about one of the men. That didn't help ease Mako's worries. Kotoha squeezing her hand made Mako realize what Kotoha was about to do._

_ "Well, then me and Mako…" Kotoha started._

_ "Were wondering if Kotoha's friend Urara could visit here then." Mako finished. "She's such a big fan of the Edo period and wanted to see the artifacts in the house. Kotoha's been meaning to ask, but she didn't want to be a bother. She does like women, but she didn't want to bring anyone else."_

_ "If she stays out of our way if anything happens and she doesn't know our true roles." Takeru said, taking a sip of his tea, with a small smile on his face._

_ Mako smiled at him then turned towards Kotoha. Kotoha was smiling, but Mako can sense Kotoha was not happy._

_ "What was that about?" Kotoha said in Mako's doorway, a little while after breakfast. From a normal person, her tone would be mildly upset. From Kotoha, it was practically yelling. This was a tone that Kotoha usually saved for an Ayakashi. _I'm in trouble _Mako thought._

_ "Kotoha, please listen" Mako said as she turned around._

_ "To what?" Kotoha said, the anger creeping into her voice. "How you're ashamed of being my girlfriend?"_

_ Mako sighed. "Kotoha, no, that wasn't…"_

_ "Then what? What is it?" Kotoha asked._

_ "…Our relationship isn't something we should be shouting all around" Mako said tentatively, hoping it would placate Kotoha. It didn't._

_ "Why not? You love me?" asked Kotoha, angrier and now with tears in her eyes._

_ "Yes."_

_ "And I love you" Kotoha said. "Love is beautiful and nothing to be ashamed of."_

_ "But I don't want problems from people, especially from our friends." Mako pleaded, though her anger at Kotoha's ignorance was starting to rise. Mako kept it hidden, like she was taught to._

_ "Other people shouldn't matter, just me and the others." Kotoha said. "Besides, our friends don't care. You heard them saying they wouldn't care."_

_ "Saying and doing are two different things." Mako said, annoyed. "They were just being nice... They were just being nice." She finished with hurt feelings. Mako would've liked being accepted for her love for Kotoha, especially from her friends, although Kotoha was starting to annoy her now. It was not being helped by Kotoha starting to cry._

_ "Quit being stupid." Mako said, her impatience breaking to the surface._

_ Instantly, Mako knew she said the worse thing possible. Kotoha usually believed that she was stupid and was not bothered by it. This even protected her against an Ayakashi once. However, coming from Mako…well, it's not something Mako said often. Kotoha turning away and going toward her room should be an indicator of how Kotoha was feeling about Mako's outburst. Mako followed her._

_ "Kotoha, wait." Mako said, grabbing Kotoha's shoulder. Kotoha turned back around with hurt on her face._

_ "I will work with you to protect citizens and complete our mission, but other than that, I want nothing to do with you." Kotoha said, tears streaming down her face. She turned back around and went towards her room. As she got farther away, Mako could hear Kotoha crying. Mako wanted to cry with her, but she was not a crier and kept her emotions in check. As she walked away she ran in to Takeru._

_ "Mako, can you try and have Urara come Sunday?" Takeru asked._

_ "Sunday?" Mako said, briefly forgetting who Urara was._

_ "For Kotoha's birthday party." Takeru said gleefully…well, at least by his standards._

_ "Oh, yeah, sure." Mako said, remembering both the party and Urara. As Takeru walked away, it hit Mako that she can make it up to Kotoha someway on her birthday. Mako promised herself she would get Kotoha something wonderful to make it up to Kotoha…_

_ Except now I might not be able to_ Mako thought bitterly as she looked at the locket she knew Kotoha wanted. She wished she could go back in time and warn herself against saying what she did, and against stopping Kotoha revealing their relationship.

_If only I let her, we wouldn't be angry at each other and…_ A terrible thought then occurred to Mako, and she cried herself to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

When Mako woke up, she saw it was morning. As she looked up, she saw the locket she was going to give to Kotoha and realized that her nightmare about Kotoha dying was for real. She rubbed her eye, musing about how that was the worst night of sleep she had had, Ryunosuke barged into her room.

"Kotoha's awake." Ryunosuke said, not waiting for Mako to say anything. Mako immediately got up and ran to Kotoha's room.

"Kotoha, you're awake!" Mako said excitedly. She, Chiaki, Ryunosuke, and Takeru were around Kotoha, happy to see her awake. Mako had to stop herself from crying when Kotoha apologized for being attacked and silently thanked Chiaki for telling Kotoha not to think about that.

"We'll do something." Mako said, her hand on Kotoha's arm.

At this touch, Kotoha looked up to Mako. Mako cringed at the thought of Kotoha looking at her, expecting anger in her eyes. Instead, Mako saw … love… and regret in Kotoha's eyes. Mako couldn't think of anything to say.

"I'm just glad I was the only one." Kotoha said, before falling back asleep. As Takeru held her, Kotoha woke up to assure him she was fine, before falling back asleep. It was all Mako could do to not lose her composure. She promised herself she would save Kotoha.

That night, Mako went to Kotoha's room, grateful for Kotoha being alive after Utakasane's destruction. She was also grateful to Genta for coming when he did, before she and the others became Gedou to enter the Sanzu River to fight Utakasane. She was literally a second from doing it, as she knew the others were too. _We owe Genta for that_ Mako thought. However, Mako, had something more important to worry about now, as she knocked the door to Kotoha's room. Out came Kotoha, a little weary but in good spirits, with a smile all over her face…which lessened a little when she saw Mako. Mako noticed.

"Takeru wants to see us, now." Mako said, trying not to show that she saw Kotoha's change in expression.

"I'll come." Kotoha said, and she and Mako headed to the main hall. However, as they got towards the corridor leading to it, Kotoha went in front of Mako, stopping and hugging her. When she broke the hug, there were tears in Kotoha's eyes.

"Mako-chan, I didn't mean it when I said I wanted nothing to do with you." Kotoha said quietly. "I was just angry and I wasn't thinking."

"Neither was I." Mako said as she stroked Kotoha's face. "You're never stupid…"

"Just inconsiderate." Kotoha finished, looking down. "I'll keep our relationship a secret, for you." She finished, looking up and smiling. Mako was about to say Kotoha could reveal their relationship, but decided that she still didn't want to chance the guys' scorn if they didn't accept their relationship. Mako just smiled back at Kotoha.

"Mako-chan, what is it? I'm okay now." Kotoha asked.

"I know, just follow me." Mako said, as she led Kotoha to the birthday party.

The party went well. After eating sushi and cake, it was time for presents. As Kotoha opened everyone else's gifts, Mako waited patiently but quietly for Kotoha to get to her's. When Kotoha opened up the locket and her eyes lit up, Mako couldn't help but smile as she accepted Kotoha's hug while giving one herself. She leaned to kiss Kotoha when Kotoha put her hand up to stop her. It looked like Kotoha was rubbing Mako's face, but she was stopping Mako's kiss.

"Mako, the others are here." Kotoha whispered. "We can't kiss here. Thank you for the locket." Kotoha said the last sentence at her normal volume as she dropped her hand, to cover her whispering. She might as well as whispered it, because Mako didn't hear anything. _We can't kiss here._ Mako thought those words in her head and hated them more every time. _I don't want this to be a secret anymore_. Mako thought, surprised at what she was about to do. She grabbed Kotoha and kissed her then and there. Kotoha tried to resist, but stopped when she realized Mako didn't care who saw them kiss and went ahead and enjoyed it. As they separated, both were beaming. They both turned to face the men, Mako ready for any negative feeling that might come.

Everyone, including Hikoma but not Takeru, was open mouthed and shocked. Then, Chiaki and Genta gave wolf whistles, which earned them from smacks from Hikoma, and Ryunosuke started a lecture on how teammates in a romantic relationship can be a detriment to the mission, although his approval for it did break through. He didn't get far, as Takeru looked at him. Just looking…Ryunosuke left the room, most likely to punish himself (Chiaki found him sitting and sweating under a heating vent later.) Takeru looked at the two lovebirds.

"I'm not worried about you two and the mission." Takeru said. His tone made it clear 1.) that was the only thing Takeru was worried about, and 2.) he wasn't going to be a pig about two women in a lesbian relationship. Mako looked at Chiaki, Genta, and Hikoma, none of whom had a problem with the relationship and would be respectful (not that it stopped Chiaki from…_approving _of them when they showed affection. Hikoma was always there to keep him from enjoying their love for each other himself). She knew in her heart Ryunosuke had no problem either. She was extremely happy and wanted to cry tears of joy, though she kept them in check…or, she tried to. For once, she couldn't hide her feelings.

"Thank you" Mako began softly, lowering her head to try and hide the happy tears streaming down her face "for accepting me and Kotoha together."

Mako felt Kotoha grab her hand and whispered Mako's ear:

"It's not weak to show how you feel once in a while."

Mako turned around, smiled, and kissed her, grateful that Kotoha was still around for her to love and not have to hide it to her friends.


End file.
